Inspired by an animated movie, Rick Hamel’s fire-breathing, turbine powered dragon was the standout in the static display contest at the Toledo Weak Signals show. Yes, it actually breathes fire and it flies while powered by a turbine engine. It features composite construction, with over 62 individually molded parts, and an amazing “scale” paint job. No wonder it won the Best in Show award!

Model Airplane News contributor Jim Ryan, who interviewed Rick for an upcoming article, writes: “This is a big model. The beast has a wing span of 9 feet and is over 7 feet long. It may look fanciful, but under it all Rick paid careful attention to sound aerodynamic design. The airfoil is a deeply cambered Eppler 385 for optimum lift at low speeds. The all-up weight is under 30 pounds, and with a wing loading in the high 30s the calculated stall speed is a reasonable 25mph. Power is provided by a JetCat P80 turbine producing 22 pounds of thrust. The primary flight controls are ailerons and V-tail, but the dragon’s head is slaved to rudder to augment yaw control. All this is controlled by a Futaba 14MZ radio.”

The flight video is of the proof of concept model he build before committing to the turbine version on display. It might have been electric but I do not know for sure… But really aren’t you impressed it does indeed fly? Rick mentioned he changed the airfoil a bit too as well as other structural improvements. The dragon at toledo does have a turbine in the belly!

IN speaking with Rick the desginer/builder, we learn there are no plans to be offered. he did say he would consider custom building a dragon for interested parties, but we are not sure what the bill would be.

The prototype was a 12s with a 5 inch fan–The new version can be constructed with electric or turbine-this is an all composite structure requiring 62 molds to produce-thats why it is so large and still light-30 lbs at 9ft span–plans of what!!!???

Do you plan to produce parts so someone else could build one? Your lucky, you probably have all the molds, so a kit is possible. How about it Rick, many would love to have one!! Thats what I’m talking about!!

unfortunately- the body is formed around internal parts (formers and gas tank) while using the molds to do so. also this structure is layed up with a nomex core under vacuum and then cooked in an oven for 15 hours after the inital cure–it is a complex build–just thinking about the drive assembly for the head gives me a headache–possibly in the future I might offer a completed version—who knows—last thought–aint this a great hobby–the best Jerry –the best!!!!

HOPE IT’S NOT LOOOOONG BEFORE YOU MAKE ANOTHER FIRE BREATHING B4 TAKE OFF FLIGHT WITH A FEW BALLS OF INTEREST N FLIGHT CAN YOU ROLL OR LOOP THIS DRAGON, CAMERA CHECK FLAME CHECK CHECKS IN THE MAIL…….. VERY COOL/HOT/MYTHICAL BUILD KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK/PLAY-N’S YES MAKE THEM SO WE CAN SEE DRAGONS FLY ONCE AGAIN!